Tag: sustainability of natural resources

As per report, about 19.5% (64 million hectare) of India's total geographic area is covered under forest cover. 

India launched its 'National Forest Policy' in 1988. This led to a programme named 'Joint Forest Management', which proposed that specific villages in association with the forest department will manage specific forest blocks. In particular, the protection of the forests would be the responsibility of the people. The percentage of forest cover in India, for plain and hills as decided by 'Forest Policy Act' (1988) is 33% and 67% respectively.

Soil conservation is the process of prevention of soil erosion and to prevent the soil from becoming infertile.  In mulching, a protective layer is placed over the soil such as straw, grasses etc., which helps in retaining soil moisture and also regulates soil temperature. Strip cropping is a process in which field is divided into strips and different crops are grown in alternate strips to preserve soil fertility. Crop rotation means growing of different types of crops on the same field in succession which prevents the depletion of nutrients from the soil. Overgrazing or intense grazing will erode the soil.

Soil erosion is removal of top soil by agency of water (water erosion) and wind (wind erosion). One of the methods for soil conservation against soil erosion is terracing. In terracing, slope is divided into a number of flat fields for slowing down the flow of water. Terracing is very effective in hilly areas for control of soil erosion.

Mulching refers to the covering of harvested field with plant litter or polythene of low density, in order to decrease run off, prevent the growth of weeds and retention of water. It protects the roots from seasonal variations.During initial stages of growth, mulching helps to maintain a stable temperature for proliferation of seedling.

Soil erosion is removal of top soil by agency of water (water erosion) and wind (wind erosion). Soil erosion is of two types- natural and anthropogenic. 

Afforestation is the act of planting trees in a barren land or converting a farmland to a forest in order to use the trees for commercial purposes. Many programs are organised by the government as well as non-government associations to plant trees and thus improving biodiversity.

Afforestation is the process of establishing a forest on land, that has not been a forest for a long time by planting trees or their seeds. Soil erosion is when the soil is blown away by the wind or washed away by the rain. Roots of trees or plants hold the soil. Thus, when more trees are planted their roots do not allow the soil to be blown or washed away and prevent soil erosion.

Soil conservation is the prevention of soil from erosion or reduced fertility caused by overuse, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Techniques for improved soil conservation include crop rotation, cover crops, conservation tillage and planted windbreaks, that affect both erosion and fertility.